CSX Freight Into Boston Now

Cape Cod Lumber, 80 Hampden Rd, Mansfield, MA.

Given that Boston Cedar (huge potential) just moved into the old Cape Cod Lumber Mansfield building and the location was described as just outside of the Middleboro yard limits (such as compass west of Alden siding) I assume he was talking about the former Cameron Ashley/New England Builders Supply spur which has not seen service in a year or two. A good location for Trask as its right of Rt18/495/44 as opposed to Central St in Stoughton.

Has B729 returned to its old daylight schedule? While in Middleboro yesterday between 1100 and 1400 6205 and 6245 slipped in with a 6-8 car of loaded Trojans (yes I said it). Nothing was on Alden and the previous 729's CCR/FVRT loads were staged on the Gas plant as usual. Resonable deduction lead me to believe they ran north in the old time slot, switched Trojan and came back south. A one time event?

Also nothing doing at the old Cameron Ashley site in Lakeville.

Boston Cedar's web site shows them as being in Mansfield.

http://www.bostoncedar.com/

J

Correct Boston Cedar moved into the old Cape Cod Lumber building in Mansfield approx. 1 year ago. Last I heard they were clearing the siding into the building for possibly receiving by rail. Not sure if they established rail delivery yet.
The old Boston Cedar site in Holbrook on the Middleboro Line as well as the old Brooks Lumber property across the tracks from it are now vacant. Brooks had a siding still used occasionally to store MOW equipment however no siding into Boston Cedar or Foster Block (OldCastle) next to it. Burke has slowed its rail activity with what seems like a fraction of what they used to receive. McConnell scrap hasn't used rail in a year or two, however the siding was used extensively for ballast loading during the tie project and FVRT is status quo. Trojan and CCR seem to be continuing to fill B729's train but probably not the coffers.

Also TLA will be resubmitting their permits to MDEP for their proposed MSW transload project in Holbrook soon despite huge outcry from Braintree and Randolph officials. Apparently another sticking point is Barlettta Heavy Industries is now involved and requiring a new round of the firing squad appearances with local politicians.

Report on another site states tht local B721 (turn to Everett) began working out of Framingham yesterday, Monday 11/12.

Is there a problem with the bridge over the Charles on the Grand Junction branch? I am reading things that are saying No Freight on Grand Juction due to problems with the bridge and that CSX has cancelled B-721 today. If so will this effect any Amtrak/MBTA movements over the bridge?

BandM4266 wrote:Is there a problem with the bridge over the Charles on the Grand Junction branch? I am reading things that are saying No Freight on Grand Juction due to problems with the bridge and that CSX has cancelled B-721 today. If so will this effect any Amtrak/MBTA movements over the bridge?

For updates on the bridge over The charles River, you should probably just keep an eye in the MBTA forum as the bridge is MBCR property now.

B721 does not run on Friday or Saturday. The MBCR has been working on the Grand Junction so we can't make any moves pass the sign at the Charles river. No big deal. The MBCR is doing a lot more M&W work than CSX did in the past 3 years.

Point of clarification on the Grand Jct Running Track:
-Restrictions on the Charles River Bridge started Wednesday and expanded Thursday & Friday
-As of Friday there was a 5MPH restriction on the bridge for all moves. Also no multiple locomotive
consists allowed for ALL moves. This means even MBTA & Amtrak equipment moves must use a
spacer car/coach to seperate units.
One exception is for Amtrak as the NPCU or Cabbage Cars are not considered locomotives, thus
can be moved next to a regular engine. This happened Friday night when an Amtrak Extra came
over from Southampton Street with a P42 and a NPCU only.
-Freight is currently restricted from operating over the bridge. CSX is shutoff from Everett for the
time being. B721 operated Thursday lite engine to Everett and back with about 11 cars. On Friday
the hammer came down on freight moves.
-Understand temporary repairs start Monday and through Wednesday to lift restrictions. See what
happens then.

As for other work on the branch, a new crossing for MIT is being installed between Mass Ave and
Fort Washington Park. There are two cars of materials stored on the siding for this.

D

Suppose it's only a matter of time when the Everett jobs get sold off to PanAm.

What happened to the bridge to cause this whole mess?

Condition of the steel, I guess....CSX got out while the getting was good!

D

I just read this week on Progressive Rail CSX opened the Worcester Transflo Terminal relocated from Beacon Park. Im sure this was covered will that leave any costumers in Boston proper?

freightguy wrote:I just read this week on Progressive Rail CSX opened the Worcester Transflo Terminal relocated from Beacon Park. Im sure this was covered will that leave any costumers in Boston proper?

Houghton Chemical is still there off the Beacon Park engine house yard and will continue to be served until somebody makes it worth their while to relocate. Unlike Romar their siding doesn't get severed when the main yard is dismantled, so they aren't in the same hurry to leave. It's probably inevitable, though. The parcel behind the Doubletree is an easy one to redevelop so Harvard and the city probably would prefer they go, and if CSX has thoughts of ditching the Everett job they're going to be unenthused about doing light engine run-as-directeds to serve one single customer east of Framingham.


There's still a semi-regular customer at Widett Circle, and the Boston Globe still gets increasingly rare deliveries of newsprint. But those jobs are served out of Readville unaffected by Beacon Park's closing.